How To Spend 24 Hours In Melbourne

With so much to see and do in Melbourne, it’s impossible to squeeze everything into just 24 hours, but our compact guide will help you divide your day among some of Melbourne’s major highlights. Although we can’t guarantee you’ll see everything, we are sure you’ll be back for more.

Morning

Kick off your day like a local, and head to Industry Beans in Fitzroy, where you can indulge in a cold drip coffee alongside the seasonal menu. Once caffeinated, it’s time to head to Carlton Gardens to see the Royal Exhibition Building and the Melbourne Museum, the largest museum in the Southern hemisphere. Not too far is the Queen Victoria Market (QVM), where you can pick up souvenirs, and treat yourself to a jam doughnut.

Afternoon

No trip to Melbourne, however brief, would be complete without roaming the labyrinth of laneways, where you’ll be treated to an urban canvas of awe-inspiring street art. We recommend Hosier Lane off of Flinders Street. Once you’ve snapped a few Instagram shots, visit Federation Square to grab some lunch, people watch in the piazza or visit Australian Centre for Moving Image and the Ian Potter Centre. Adjacent is Flinders Street Station and St Paul’s Cathedral.

After Federation Square, take the tram up St Kilda Road to the National Gallery of Victoria, the oldest and most visited art gallery in Australia and home to a collection of more than 70,000 works of art. The Arts Centre Melbourne and The Shrine of Remembrance are close by. If you’re in need of some peace and quiet, visit the tranquil Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and take a much deserved break.

Before setting off in search of dinner, visit the Eureka Skydeck at Eureka Tower to catch the sunset from the highest public vantage point in the Southern hemisphere. Enjoy 360-degree views of Melbourne, and if you’re feeling brave, you can step out onto The Edge—a glass cube that suspends visitors 300 meters above Southbank.

Evening

After a busy afternoon, you’ll be in need of a good meal, and the variety in Southbank is unparalleled. If you’re craving Japanese, visit Nobu, or for the best pizza in town, stop by Gradi at Crown Melbourne. If you’re interested in a proper feast, explore the historical British grub at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. Digest your meal with a walk along the Yarra River, and marvel at the Gas Brigades, which send fireballs into the sky each night on the hour.

For a quintessentially Melbourne experience, end the night at one of city’s rooftop bars. Rooftop Bar on Swanston Street transforms into a cinema during the summer. For a more sophisticated night out, visit Siglo Bar on Spring Street, and have a drink on the terrace overlooking Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and Parliament House. If you happen to be in Melbourne on a Wednesday, stop by the night market at QVM, or on Friday nights, the National Gallery of Victoria hosts events related to major exhibitions.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.